Boat beat: Heavy rain squalls and windless stretches alternate as the fleet struggles to escape the Doldrums. "Squalls and the no wind zones behind them have been the cause of just about every lead change so far. As the saying goes, sometimes you're the wind shield and sometimes you're the bug," said sailor Mike Toppa.

Weather: A large high pressure system continues to dominate the middle of the North Atlantic. The high will move off in the next three to four days.

Note: Information compiled from the Whitbread Round the World Race Web site at www.whitbread.org